Fife Hospitals Kidney Support Group

Who are we?
What do we do?

How can we help you?
How can you help us?

Together we can make a difference to sufferers  of kidney disease

Who are we? – Fife Hospitals Kidney Support Group is a registered charitable organisation set up in 2003 to help sufferers of kidney disease throughout Fife.  Our committee is made up of patients and carers but also supported by families, friends and medical professionals.

What do we do? – We raise funds allowing us to offer different outings from weekends away, day trips, educational meetings and other social activities to patients, carers and families at little or no cost to the patient.  We are committed to promoting the organ donor scheme, which can transform the lives of those who receive a successful kidney transplant.

How can we help you? – If you are suffering any form of kidney problem we can offer support and information through our regular newsletters and by giving you the opportunity to attend different social and educational meetings and outings.   Our membership allows you to access information through get togethers and meeting people in the same situation as yourself.  Sometimes it is the experience of others that can help you get through a difficult time.  We can also help with information regarding  holidays, insurance etc.

How can you help us? – You can help us by organising a fund-raising event, putting your name on a list to be contacted to help at one of our organised events, by joining the committee or signing up as a member or simply by attending some of our meetings. You can also promote the organ donor register with your family by adding your name to the organ donation register and informing your family of your decision.

Patients with end stage renal failure have only two options in order to stay alive which are go on dialysis or receive a transplant.  Due to poor health, or a number of other reasons, somepatients are unable for transplantation and subsequently have to face haemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis, Haemodialysis patients, like the one above, attend hospital for treatment three times a week for up to five hours at a time.  Peritoneal dialysis is carried out at home by APD, which means being connected to a machine overnight or CAPD, which is four fluid exchanges every day. Any form of dialysis can be a gruelling experience when the patient often feels worse before feeling better.  It is very time consuming as well as complex and demanding.  We are here to support each other as much as possible and try to alleviate the on-going difficulties faced by patients and their families. Kidney failure is no respecter of age, background or creed and can hit home to any family at any time.

Our Activities

We have organised a number of weekends away to places such as Newtonmore, Oban, Dumfries with visits to places such as the puppet theatre, boat trips and farms.  Day trips have included places such as a sail on the Maid of the Forth, New Lanark, Falkirk Wheel, Drummond Safari Park, May Island boat trip and many others.  We have had theatre and shopping trips and every year we hold our annual Christmas party which is usually attended by up to 120 patients and their families. 

We also hold educational meetings with speakers attending and giving advice and help with problems faced by kidney patients during their treatment.  We aim to continue to help and support anyone that is suffering from kidney disease. 

All of our committee and volunteers are dedicated to raising funds so that we can run our activities at little or no cost to our patient members. Since our inception in 2003 we have held sponsored walks, bag packing, taken part in raft races, abseiling, pro–am golf tournament, Kidney Research Forth Road Bridge walk to raise awareness of kidney disease while raising funds for the Group and having fun.

If you can help in any way by volunteering a few hours of your time or putting forward suggestions for outings, fund raisers or events then please use the contacts below.

   Secretary:  Mrs Kathleen  M. Blenman

    Treasurer :  Mr.  John Niven
                          23 Ash  Braes,
                          Kincardine,  FK10 4LS.
      Tel: 01259 730825

Web site: www.fhksg.org

                       Registered Scottish Charity

Application for Membership

There is a membership Application form available this is in a MS Word document "Click Here" to open it.